


Half Of Me Is Ocean

by lakemonsters



Category: Free!
Genre: Attraction, Commute, Established Relationship, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Train Rides
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-16
Updated: 2015-12-11
Packaged: 2018-05-01 21:47:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5222171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lakemonsters/pseuds/lakemonsters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sousuke wants to visit Mikoshiba's apartment - he needs his longboard; Haruka thinks that it's just his way of getting Rin's attention.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Your Undivided Attention

"...then you should have brought it with you this morning when you left. I have guests, you know." Rin runs a hand through his hair and does all he can to stop himself from rolling his eyes and putting the phone back on its cradle.

Haruka looks on from the couch, leaning just a little on Makoto. He then cocks his head to the side and with an apathetic stare says -- "He just wants attention." 

Makoto smiles at that and gives Haruka a little shrug. "As long as Rin doesn't mind it, I guess it's okay." -- he says.

"...fine, fine. I'll be there. How long until you reach our station?"

 

*

 

Taking a swig from the beer he was enjoying with friends not long ago, Rin then walks from the kitchen counter - past the couch to the small closet near the front door. He takes out a Peralta longboard with orange, teal and yellow flames donning the wheels and the tail. Though Rin is by no means a small man, holding the longboard vertically makes it look oversized for him, a little awkward.

"Sorry guys, I have to run to the train station next to this apartment complex. Sousuke wants to ride his board to Mikoshiba's. I'll meet him there to give this to him." He shifts and moves the board from his left to right hand. "You can just wait for me here, I'll be back."

Haruka shakes his head and stares at his friend - "You do know that he's just being a pain, right? He knows Makoto and I are here and we're enjoying ourselves so he has to do something to get your attention. He should have brought the board with him when he left to visit his parents yesterday."

"Haru..." Makoto wanted to be the voice of reason, buffer the harshness in Haru's words but even he believes that there is some truth to it. Haru and Rin's friendship has always ignited jealousy in Sousuke.

"I know that!" Rin starts "But he also had a lot to bring yesterday and he wants to hang out at Mikoshiba - he lives about 15 minutes from here and like I said you can wait while I hand this over."

Haruka is already standing up followed by Makoto. "Like we'd let you walk alone." 

Makoto looks at Rin and smiles as if conveying his unsaid sentiment 'Haru is right, let us all suffer Sousuke's plea for your attention together.'

 

*

 

It doesn't even take five minute for them to exit the complex and walk to the station grounds. Though they indulge in small talk, as soon as they are in range it is obvious that Rin's already zeroing in on the train arrivals being announced. His steps go a bit faster, pulling the longboard closer to his body, higher so the tail doesn't hit his knees when he walks.

Haruka and Makoto look over to Rin who makes for an interesting picture: wearing his knee- length black windbreaker, dark jeans and flip-flops -- hurrying to the train entrance.

"Guys, I'll go on ahead, Sousuke's train is here." Rin says in passing before he bolts.

The two are left walking at a relaxed pace; Makoto smiling as he spies from that distance - Sousuke standing up from one of the concrete benches, greeting Rin with caress on a cheek that slides to the back of his neck and pulling him for a light kiss. Then they trade as Sousuke hands Rin his backpack in order to take his longboard.

Haruka sees this too - but if he had an opinion on the matter - he was not giving voice to it. Not now, at least.

The sound of a kneeling bus across the street grabs both their attention, but before they can look over - the wind beside them is displaced by a force generated by speed.

Sousuke blasts past them on the Peralta: He is looking forward without sparing them a glance. Unfair that Sousuke can make even the plainest black t-shirt and jeans look very, very fashionable. Despite its size and weight, Sousuke is strong enough to move the board faster with minimum effort. Jet propulsion personified, carving over the walkway like the cement's butter.

Then he's gone. 

"Show off." Haruka mutters.

 

*

 

Rin joins Makoto and Haruka a moment later, a small smile on his face. "Let's go? Sousuke will be back in time for dinner. We can all eat together, I'm making steak."

 

*

 

"Today was so much fun, Rin. I hope we can meet up again when our schedules allow it." Makoto graciously says and smiles at his friend. Eloquently conveying the message that's really from him and Haruka.

"I'll call you tomorrow." Haruka punctuates, pointedly ignoring Sousuke who is balancing gracefully on that blasted longboard a few yards away from where they all were. The idiot not wanting to walk with them to the station.

"Okay. Call me after ten, I want to sleep in." Rin says, reaching out with both arms to give his friends a hug.

 

*

 

"All done?" Sousuke asks, towering over Rin as he walks over after Haruka and Makoto's train left.

"Done." Rin smiles. "You could be nicer to my friends, you know. They would like to get to know you as well." The redhead is not preaching, just telling Sousuke that his friends are the type of people to care about him because they know he is important to Rin. 

Sousuke promptly answers in jest - "Not a chance."

The former Samezuka captain stops in front of Sousuke then, looks up at him and smiles. "Home?"

This is when Sousuke carefully steps down his longboard, efficiently scoops it up with his left hand and take Rin's gently with his right.

"Home."


	2. Peoplewatching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trains and commuters and all the possibilities.

Property prices have gone up in recent years so a lot of the people have taken dwellings across the bridge. Getting back to the city can be done in a few ways - car, ferry, bus and trains.

They both take the train going to the city.

Rin knows this because he's seen him a couple of times before this one. They've never greeted each other, never really made it obvious that they know of each other's presence. Rin knows this because he likes people-watching. 

He likes it because people are quirky and stubborn and candid when they think that no one is watching. The redhead thinks that people are interesting because they strive for individuality - some people make it their life's mission, while others do it without putting much thought behind it.

Rin has two favorite people he likes watching - he likes them so much that he's a little happy inside to know that their schedules in riding the train match.

The tattooed office girl - she is interesting to him because despite the suit and the leather bag, once she rolls up the white crisp shirt she is wearing - she reveals ornately inked arms. From where he sits, he can see dragons and koi fishes and fairies. It's like her armor and personal insignia. Underneath the gray or black or navy blue suits - there's a big reminder that she is still who she wants to be.

Rin likes that.

Maybe when he's ready to commit to a design, he'll get a tattoo himself. He'll have to talk to his coach and manager before all that, of course. He isn't in the super strata just yet where sponsors come begging, he has to compromise to be able to swim competitively.

Rin adjusts his shades and shifts in his seat. The Bay Area Rapid Transit goes underwater in a few minutes and he'd like to be comfortable when it does.

That's when he sees him. The second person he likes watching a lot.

The Longboard Guy - Rin likes watching him because he looks so serious and cool cruising to and from the station. Rin thinks he is also a brooding type of person because as soon as he gets in the train he puts on his shades and earphones. It also helps that the guy is tall and well built and good looking - it doesn't help that 

Rin is into guys. So, this is more like a crush and less people- watching.

They've never greeted one another, they've never acknowledged each other's presence.

But, Rin thinks that this guy should know him as a fellow, regular commuter. He can't be that blind.  
Adjusting the volume of his ipod - he tries to drown in the music, he adjusts his own sunglasses and notices that the Longboard-guy's forehead is resting on the nose of his board.  
He looks tired, Rin thinks. 

 

+

 

They reach Montgomery Station at exactly 10 in the morning. There is a slight drizzle outside because San Francisco is downright unpredictable this time of year.  
Rin spies that the tattooed office girl has already pulled out a small tote umbrella, she's out the station in a heartbeat.

Then he feels a little crowded, a little dimmed - literally. The overhead lights at the station blocked temporarily by an immovable force. And Rin has to look up out of curiosity before finding out that the Longboard guy has creeped up from his blind spot and is now standing near him.

"The rain won't let up soon, hope you have an umbrella."

Rin's always expected him to have a really nice but intense voice.

"No umbrella, just a parka."

"Same here."

Rin watches him put it on and move the hood over his head.

"Have a good one." Then a smile.

"Ah, you too."

Rin can only say before the longboard guy is out the station door, the grinding sound of wheels on wet asphalt soon follows.

He realizes he's smiling - he is already having a good day. 

 

+

 

The sound of a mobile phone ringing can be heard over the white noise of an TV. "Hello." "Sousuke?" "That's me."

"I'm Rin. You dropped your ID at the station this morning." 

Rin looks it over and reads over the information in his head: Yamazaki Sousuke, Director for Design, TransWorld Skate, Co.

There is silence at the other end of the line. "Hello? Still there?"

Rin can't see it, he might be imagining it too but it feels like Sousuke's smiling. 

"Yeah. I might have done that on purpose."

**Author's Note:**

> A collection of short pieces involving Rin and Sousuke. It's my dumping ground for restless plotbunnies and 'what if' scenarios for my favorite Free! pairing.
> 
> Oddities, really.
> 
> Each chapter can be read as a stand alone. Thank you in advance for reading!
> 
>  
> 
> \---
> 
>  
> 
> Credits to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers for the series title - from his song "Walls".


End file.
